Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [179]

A strange sensation crept over Chen Lin as he followed the fox-eared hostess toward the tea counter. He paused mid-step, his body instinctively tensing. Turning back, he scanned the hall, seeing only servers and patrons going about their business.

What was that?

Just moments ago, a chilling feeling had swept through him, like downing a bottle of ice-cold soda after eating a strong mint, nearly knocking the breath out of him.

Better stay on guard.

The hostess began introducing the teas displayed on the counter, meticulously laying out their qualities.

“This is Beihu Liu from the North Yunhai Lake of Xianzhou. Its tea trees are delicately beautiful, with leaves resembling willow branches, hence the name. Its fragrance is delightful and uplifting, making it an excellent gift despite its premium price."

“And this emerald green tea, shimmering like jade, is called Yi Tea. Its brewed liquor turns a vivid green, with a rich, smooth aroma and gentle sweetness. Loved by locals, the most exquisite Yi Tea, known as Imperial Bow Yi, is said to emit a fragrance that carries for miles. There’s even a famous story in Xianzhou of a general who substituted Yi Tea for wine, using its aroma to invigorate his troops and secure victory in battle. Unfortunately, Imperial Bow Yi is extremely rare, with the last known appearance over 400 years ago, limited to just a couple of ounces."

“This one here is Lishen Flower Tea, made from over ten different flowers, including some toxic varieties. The centerpiece is the Lishen flower, whose single drop of nectar could kill a person. Yet, when paired with other flowers, its toxins are neutralized, creating a tea with calming, sleep-inducing properties. When combined with certain other ingredients, it can also… enhance intimate moments."

“And this is Meiyu Fragrance, one of our signature teas. Many customers who order this tea often request a second pot upstairs…”

She continued her introductions, providing vivid and professional descriptions of each tea, clearly well-versed in her role.

Chen Lin tilted his head, intrigued by the variety. Many of these teas were entirely unfamiliar to him. The Yi Tea, for instance, reminded him of tea paste he’d tried before, though its appearance was vastly different.

However, some teas leaned toward peculiar effects, seemingly designed for romantic or recreational purposes.

“Sir, these are the teas Tianshui Pavilion regularly offers. While we also have rarer teas, those are not for sale. Is there any tea you’d like to sample?”

Chen Lin’s lips twitched. Regularly offers? I’m starting to suspect tea isn’t even your main product here.

He kept the thought to himself—it wouldn’t be polite to voice such skepticism aloud.

“Can I really try the teas?” he asked instead.

The hostess smiled warmly. “Of course.”

“Let’s start with this one, then.” Chen Lin pointed to Beihu Liu.

If it’s the priciest option here, it must be worth a taste.

“Please wait a moment,” the hostess replied before departing to fetch the necessary tea utensils and equipment.

Before she could call over a tea master, however, Chen Lin had already taken the tools and begun preparing the tea himself with practiced ease.

The hostess froze, momentarily stunned. Though she had no hands-on experience, she recognized skilled tea brewing when she saw it. The guest before her, with his unique attire and foreign origin, moved with the confidence of an expert.

“Do you mind if I brew it myself?” Chen Lin asked without looking up.

“Not at all, sir. Please, go ahead,” she replied, her tone growing more deferential. A refined gentleman skilled in tea brewing—a perfect customer to pamper for a generous tip.

Curious, she decided to observe his tea-making process.

“I noticed you were about to call someone over. Does that mean you haven’t learned tea brewing yourselves?” Chen Lin asked as he prepared the tea.

The hostess shook her head. “We’re trained to attract guests and introduce the teas, but we haven’t received any practical training in tea brewing. Even if we were interested, there’s no one to teach us. I hope you’ll forgive us for this shortcoming.”

“Let me show you something, then.” Chen Lin began roasting the tea leaves, explaining as he worked. “The art of tea brewing centers around the harmony of four elements: the tea itself, the water, the fire, and the utensils. When balanced, they create a meditative experience.”

He moved effortlessly, narrating as he went.

“In the first stage, watch for the water to boil. When small bubbles rise to the surface and create faint noises, this is known as the ‘first boil.’”

The hostess stared intently at the pot, nodding dumbly. “I see it.”

“At the ‘second boil,’ the bubbles form continuous streams along the edges, resembling pearls.”

“Wow…”

“And the ‘third boil’ is when the water rolls and froths like waves, with clouds of steam rising—a sign of readiness.”

“What’s the purpose of these stages, sir?”

“To draw out the tea’s essence at the perfect temperature without overcooking the water. When the second boil is reached, some water is set aside to stop the boil, ensuring the brew retains its vitality. Only then is the tea complete.”

“You’re amazing, sir,” the hostess said, her eyes now filled with admiration.

As Chen Lin sipped the freshly brewed tea, he reflected on how much of his old life had been left behind since his arrival in this world. Skills like tea brewing, once mundane, now felt like relics of another life.

Xianzhou… this place really does feel like echoes of my old world.

He let out a quiet sigh, his thoughts drifting. Though the galaxy was vast, and Earth likely existed somewhere within it, finding it would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Taking another sip, he frowned slightly.

Still not as good as Jing Yuan’s tea.

“Can I try the Yi Tea next?” he asked, setting his cup down.

"Feel free to try," the hostess said politely.

Chen Lin took this as permission to test several teas that lacked aphrodisiac or sedative properties. He quickly identified the unique characteristics of each.

Picking up a pinch of Yi Tea, he began adjusting the chemical composition, refining its qualities while addressing its shortcomings.

This tea, while renowned, had a naturally bitter taste that could become overwhelming if brewed incorrectly. He decided to adjust the parameters to make it more forgiving for beginners like Himeko.

The tea’s robust flavor, though appealing to some, could feel cloying for those with lighter palates. To balance this, Chen Lin slightly reduced its heaviness and enhanced its subtle sweetness.

As advertised, Yi Tea indeed boosted vitality and stabilized emotions, so he maxed out this quality. Additionally, since the train crew had endured enough of Himeko’s overly strong coffee, he enhanced the tea’s fragrance to make it more aromatic and pleasant.

In his unique psionic vision, invisible to others, Chen Lin saw sliders representing the tea’s attributes. With careful calculations, he adjusted them until everything was perfectly balanced.

However, the changes took a toll on the tea’s appearance. The once-sleek tea leaves now looked like misshapen clumps, their deformed appearance utterly unappetizing. They resembled lumps of scorched debris, the kind one might scrape off a burnt pan and jokingly call “culinary innovation.”

Chen Lin shrugged. Aesthetic appeal isn’t our priority. No one on the train cares about how it looks anyway.

To conserve energy, he diverted psionic focus from appearance to taste and functionality. The result was visually appalling but optimized for flavor and health benefits.

“Uh…”

The fox-eared hostess, recovering from her earlier awe, noticed the grotesque tea clumps and panicked. "Sir, please don’t use those! These look like defective batches—they’re unfit for brewing!"

She couldn’t fathom how such substandard tea had ended up in their tasting samples. The warped, ugly appearance made her doubt their suitability for consumption.

Chen Lin smiled. “They aren’t defective. They were identical to the others before I refined them. The changes you see are deliberate.”

“Re…refined?”

The cryptic explanation left the hostess stunned. To demonstrate, Chen Lin pulled out a fresh batch of Yi Tea leaves. Before her eyes, they too twisted and morphed, their scent intensifying even as their appearance degraded.

Ignoring the hostess’s bewilderment, Chen Lin began brewing the tea.

Minutes later, as he lifted the lid of the teapot, a rich, invigorating aroma filled the entire teahouse, quickly seeping into the surrounding streets.

Unlike his earlier experiments with alcohol, this modification required significant effort. Chen Lin hadn’t anticipated the tea’s fragrance to have such a profound effect—it made one feel both energized and clear-headed.

This experiment wasn’t just for fun; it was part of Chen Lin’s long-term vision for Jarilo-VI. If they could optimize food supplies, one ration might sustain ten soldiers, reducing logistical burdens and enabling more flexible operations.

In wartime, food was as crucial as weapons. A nation capable of innovating in this domain could withstand blockades and negotiate alliances from a position of strength.

If Jarilo-VI could control the region’s food supply, neighboring nations would depend on us. With their reliance on psionically enhanced resources, we’d hold their fates in our hands.

The scent of the tea wafted through nearby streets, drawing curious crowds to the teahouse. A seasoned tea enthusiast among them suddenly exclaimed, “This must be Imperial Bow Yi! It has to be!”

The onlookers erupted into chatter. Most had only heard of Imperial Bow Yi from stories, dismissing it as a marketing ploy by Xianzhou merchants. Yet, historical records confirmed its legendary status, even if only briefly mentioned.

Tea connoisseurs, thrilled at the chance to experience its aroma, flocked to the teahouse. Nearby patrons abandoned their tables to investigate, filling the establishment to capacity.

The commotion even drew the middle-aged proprietor from the upper floors. After sampling a small cup of the tea and hearing the hostess’s account, he beamed with excitement.

"Xiao Yu, escort our distinguished guests upstairs and treat them well!"

Meanwhile, the train crew and Qingque, chatting in a bamboo pavilion, were bewildered by the sudden turn of events. Just as they pondered the tea’s remarkable aroma, they were ushered into an opulent VIP suite on the second floor.

“Hey, Uncle Yang,” March 7th asked, puzzled. “Why are they moving us upstairs? We didn’t book a fancy room.”

She watched as servers brought trays of delicate pastries, pots of premium tea, and several exquisitely packaged tea cakes—each weighing dozens of pounds. The staff explained that these were gifts from the proprietor himself.

Qingque crouched by the tea cakes, pulling out her phone to look up their market value. Her eyes widened in shock.

“Grade-A Bai Niao Hui Shui… Grade-A Beihu Liu… Black-Ribbon Lishen Flower Tea… Wow! These are ridiculously expensive!”

Welt furrowed his brow in thought. “Could this have something to do with Chen? He hasn’t returned yet, and the aroma from earlier might be connected to him.”

Lately, Welt found himself defaulting to this line of reasoning—whenever something extraordinary happened, Chen Lin was likely involved.

“That kid always manages to surprise me,” Welt muttered.

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T/N: bro said he was just a casual tea enjoyer smh

This is a fan translation of 在星穹铁道点群星科技树真的没问题吗? by 杏雨诗韵 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!